Woking beat Southampton Under-21s 3-0 on penalties after the two sides played out an entertaining 4-4 draw in their National League Cup group stage fixture.

Jack Stretton was handed a first start for the Cards as a host of players came into a much-changed team at the Laithwaite Community Stadium, with academy prospect Leo Christophers making the bench.

Only Dion Kelly-Evans kept his place from the side beaten by Cambridge United in the first round proper of the Emirates FA Cup.

The visitors took the lead barely two minutes into the game. A cross from the left-hand side was met by Prinewill Ehibhatiomhan. His initial shot was saved by Ollie Webber, but the Cards couldn’t clear and he tapped in at the second time of asking.

Both sides were unable to find defensive stability in the opening ten minutes. One simple ball found Tom Leahy in behind, and he controlled well before his low shot was well gathered by Adli Mohamed in the Saints goal.

Woking then began to pile the pressure on, with Stretton’s deflected strike hitting the bar, before the same player then was unable to fire home following a scramble. Another set piece led to Leahy being denied at the back post by Mohamed.

However, the Saints had their second goal after just over half an hour when Samuel Tabares found Jay Robinson, who controlled and finished well into the bottom corner.

Woking had one back and in some style after 39 minutes when an inch-perfect ping from Cian Harries was controlled well and slammed into the bottom corner by Stretton for his first goal in red and white, and a route back into the game.

They had their equaliser just a minute later when Ben Wynter’s ball across was sliced by a defender and Leahy picked up the pieces to tap home from close range.

Woking nearly made a fast start to the second half when Dale Gorman’s delivery was met by the head of Wynter, whose effort clipped the crossbar.

Lewis Walker then stole in behind the Saints defence and rounded Mohamed before producing an emphatic finish which hit the underside of the bar and went in to complete the turnaround and put Woking 3-2 up.

There was another for Walker and Woking after just over an hour when a superb low delivery from Matt Ward was met by a thumping half-volley from Walker, giving Mohamed no chance and giving the Cards a two-goal cushion.

Another dangerous free kick fell to Stretton, whose shot was well blocked in what would be the last action for him in his first start. It was an impressive and promising performance from the 23-year-old.

Leahy forced a low save from Mohamed after 77 minutes when he found himself in behind the defence, before Walker was denied brilliantly by the Saints keeper from point-blank range five minutes later.

However, Southampton had a third goal with five minutes left when substitute Rory MacLeod scored the rebound after an initial shot was well saved by Webber.

Webber had to be on hand to deny Robinson after he was found inside the box with a minute left, as the Saints looked for an equaliser.

And they had it after 94 minutes when Woking failed to clear and Romeo Akachukwu slammed home to send the match to penalties.

It was a remarkable finish to a bizarre game as Woking went from two down to 4-2 up and then had it pulled back to 4-4 with the last kick of the game.

Southampton missed their first three penalties, with Walker, Alan Judge and Harries sealing an extra point for the Cards to conclude a goal-fest at the Laithwaite Community Stadium.

Woking: Webber, Kelly-Evans, Harries, Ward, Wynter, Anderson (Christophers 81), Gorman (Judge 58), Conte, Stretton (Akinola 68), Leahy, Walker.

Substitues not used: Jaaskelainen, Dyche, Moore, Jones.

Goals: Stretton (39), Leahy (41), Walker (53 & 61).

Booked: Anderson (39), Harries (45).

Southampton Under-21s: Mohamed, Abu, Tabares, Moore, Armitage, Buck, Charles (Merry 61), O’Brien-Whitmarsh (Fry 70), Ehibhatiomhan (MacLeod 81), Akachukwu, Robinson.

Substitutes not used: McNamara, Hewlett, Meyers, Oyekunle.

Goals: Ehibhatiomhan (2), Robinson (35), MacLeod (85), Akachukwu (94).

Attendance: 157.

Before the game, Woking confirmed that Alan Judge had returned to the club.

The former Republic of Ireland midfielder has rejoined the Cards following a spell as a free agent.

Judge joined Woking in March and made three appearances following his debut off the bench at Southend before being ruled out for the rest of the 2023-24 season.

The midfielder has trained with the Cards for much of this season.

By William Bewsey